Solar Power World

In energy storage component sourcing, the biggest savings often come from how a part is made — not from negotiating the price of the part you were handed. A client came to me with a clear request: source this energy storage connection terminal from China, and get me the best price you can. Attached was a drawing of the terminal they’d been using for years — a proven, older design they trusted. Most sourcing jobs begin and end there.

Gov. Kathy Hochul announced that 8 GW of distributed solar has been installed across New York State, which puts the state ahead of schedule for reaching 10 GW by 2030. This growth in the distributed solar market has generated approximately $12.2 billion in private investment across New York and provided more than 16,000 jobs statewide. A solar project in Westchester County, New York, owned by DSD Renewables, managed by Perch Energy.

The third round of grants under Massachusetts’ Dept. of Energy Resources’ Low-Income Services Solar Program (LISSP) have been awarded. Grants totaling $2.4 million will help 10 nonprofit organizations install rooftop solar systems that will reduce each organization’s electricity costs by between 70 and 100%, resulting in more resources for the nonprofits’ critical work.

Solar inverter manufacturer SolarEdge Technologies is debuting its Nexis residential solar and storage platform in the United States. Nexis was originally launched in Germany in March, and SolarEdge has reported that the system has been used in more than 2,000 solar plus storage systems. Nexis packages SolarEdge’s residential energy storage, inverter and its management software into a modular system designed to work in constrained spaces.

The Massachusetts Senate passed a bill yesterday that its authors are referring to as “an act to save people money, repair the climate and grow the economy.” One way legislators intend to do this is by reforming and streamlining residential solar permitting processes statewide. The state’s energy omnibus bill was passed by the House in March (H5151), and has undergone rounds of amendments in the Senate (S3143).

New Jersey lawmakers unanimously passed legislation to expand access to “plug-in solar” systems to all, including renters and apartment-dwellers. The Garden State Plug-In Solar Act (S2368/A4836) removes outdated restrictions that have historically blocked plug-in solar, and gives households a practical way to save on energy bills and take part in the clean energy transition. Plug-in solar in Illinois.

A global investment firm is acquiring EDF power solutions North America and its portfolio of renewable energy projects. KKR, a private equity firm, is purchasing EDF’s renewable energy business for $4.2 billion. EDF power solutions is a turnkey renewables company responsible for developing, building, owning and maintaining solar, energy storage and wind projects in North America.

The City of El Paso, Texas, has launched Switch Together, a group buying program for solar installations. Switch Together uses a group buying model to help residents save money on home solar installations. The most recent auction secured a discount of 23%, which translates to an average discount of $6,748. The program is supported in partnership with nonprofit Solar United Neighbors.

By Ali Turner, Principal Writer and Content Strategist As commercial and industrial solar continues to expand, exposed-fastened metal roofs remain one of the most practical platforms for photovoltaic (PV) deployment. But as more solar is installed on exposed-fastened roof profiles, one question is becoming more important for EPCs, installers, engineers and building owners alike: What makes a solar attachment ready for real-world rooftop conditions?

Solar Power World, the premier media outlet for the U.S. solar market and publisher of the annual Top Solar Contractors List, is now accepting submissions for its manufacturer-focused awards program: Top Products presented by Solar Power World. Companies can submit their products through the online application portal.